Former Second City star Keegan-Michael Key will be hosting “Saturday Night Live,” a big move for the actor who made his name on the rival show “Mad TV.”
Key will host the May 15 episode, the show announced on its official Twitter. Olivia Rodrigo, the “High School Musical: The Series” actress who scored a blockbuster hit with her single “Drivers License,” will be the musical guest.
The following week, host Anya Taylor-Joy from “The Queen’s Gambit” will close out the “SNL” season, with musical guest Lil Nas X.
Your final guests of Season 46! pic.twitter.com/f5Mu3urQSO
— Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) May 3, 2021
Key was plucked from Chicago in 2004 to join the cast of Fox’s Saturday night “SNL” challenger “Mad TV,” where he impersonated dozens of celebrities and created characters including the hot-tempered Coach Hines and the pesky water deliveryman Eugene Struthers. With “Mad TV” castmate Jordan Peele (also a Chicago improv alum), he went on to star in the acclaimed Comedy Central sketch series “Key & Peele.”
Since then he has appeared in films including “Dolemite Is My Name,” “Playing With Fire,” “Jingle Jangle” and “The Prom,” and contributed voice performances to “The Lion King,” “Toy Story 4” and the “Hotel Transylvania” films.
He will star with “SNL’s” Cecily Strong in “Schmigadoon!,” a musical comedy series premiering July 16 on AppleTV+.
